


Her Final Words

by AwkwardGayBean



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Canon Relationships, Character Death, Death from Old Age, F/F, Korra Dies, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Spoilers for Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28664337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardGayBean/pseuds/AwkwardGayBean
Summary: She didn’t have long.  But still she fought every day, a smile on her face, knowing that staying optimistic was the best solution in any dreadful situation.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74





	Her Final Words

**Author's Note:**

> The end of this came to me last night, and I just wrote it. It's different because it's sad, but it's sweet, and I actually really like it.

As the sun rose over Republic City, Korra smiled weakly at her wife of more than fifty years. Asami was still sound asleep. She never woke as early as Korra, but the Avatar was more than happy to watch the woman she loved look so peaceful. Korra missed the mornings she would jog down the streets below, but she hadn’t been able to do that in years. The apartment that she and Asami now shared was in the heart of Republic City. They had moved there from Asami’s mansion when Korra had gotten sick last year. Here, it was easier to get back and forth to the hospital if Korra needed emergency care. Now, their daughter, Atka lived there with her partner, Dhonu, and their 11-year-old son, Kiran.  
When Korra was well, she would help her grandson with his waterbending. Kiran was always eager to learn from his grandmother, and Korra was equally as eager to teach him. Atka had always been closer with Asami because she was a non-bender, and since Korra had fallen ill, she had taken over as the CEO of Future Industries in order for Asami to care for her wife.  
Several years earlier, Korra’s injuries from her youth had begun to cause her pain once again. At first, she had resisted, insisting that she was more than able to fight through the pain, and continue her duties as the Avatar. But her physical trauma showed no mercy, and soon Korra was once again bound to a wheelchair, as she had been all those decades ago. The last time she remembered walking on her own was at Mako’s funeral, when she had fought to stand and suffer through both physical and emotional pain to help carry her beloved friend to his final resting place as a pallbearer.  
Now, she grew weaker still, as respiratory illness settled in. She had been bedridden for several months, but was kept company by Asami, and occasionally their family would visit, or Bolin and Opal would stop by for a chat.  
Sometimes Korra would awaken in the middle of the night to Asami’s quiet sobs. She comforted her wife in silence, knowing that she was dwelling on the news they had received at her last doctor’s appointment. She didn’t have long. But still she fought every day, a smile on her face, knowing that staying optimistic was the best solution in any dreadful situation. Asami tried her best as well, but her emotions got the better of her from time to time.  
This morning, Korra felt different. She wasn’t sure in what way, but it wasn’t the same as she had felt yesterday. It could have been a heaviness in her chest with each breath she took through the oxygen tube in her nose, or it could have been the peaceful feeling she felt, as she heard the familiar noise of the city streets. Satomobiles. What was it that Atka was calling them now? Station wagons?  
Asami stirred, interrupting Korra’s thoughts. She turned to her wife and looked into her ever-stunning emerald eyes. Silver hair framed Asami’s gently creased skin. Her thin cheeks wore the marks of several decades of smiles, and her forehead the lines of years of determination and hard work in her garage. She gave Korra a soft but worried smile, and she sat up to kiss her wife softly on the lips.  
“How are you this morning?” Asami asked, just as she did every morning.  
“I feel fine,” Korra told her. “But different.”  
“Are you okay?” Asami asked. Korra could almost see Asami’s heart go up her throat, as panic instantly set in. Korra nodded. “Do you need me to call the doctor?”  
“No,” Korra told her. “I’m not in pain.”  
“Okay,” Asami said, calming down a little. “Do you want me to get you anything?”  
“Tea?” Korra asked. It was unlikely she would be strong enough to lift the cup on her own, but jasmine tea sounded wonderful right now. Asami got out of bed and made her way over to the bedroom door. Korra stopped her. “’Sami?”  
“Hmm?” Asami asked, turning back. “Would you give Atka a call and see if she and Dhonu would come visit with Kiran? And Bolin and Opal, too, if they aren’t too busy.” Korra watched another look of concern wash over Asami’s face, but she agreed, and then left to make tea. Once Asami had gone, Korra meditated. She reached out to Aang with the little strength she had and was grateful to be met with the warm smile of the former Avatar.  
“Is it time?” Korra asked him.  
“I’m afraid so, Korra,” he responded.  
“Is it scary?” she asked.  
“No,” Aang told her. “Just think of it as falling asleep and waking up in the spirit world.”  
“Thank you, Aang,” she said. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Asami had returned with a cup of hot tea.  
“Were you meditating?” Asami asked.  
“I was talking to Aang,” Korra replied. Asami said nothing. She lay the cup of tea on Korra’s nightstand and sat at the foot of the bed.  
“I called Atka,” she said. “She and Kiran will be by later this morning. Dhonu is working.” Dhonu worked on Air Temple Island alongside Master Meelo to help train younger airbenders. He would likely also help to train the new Avatar.  
“What about Bo and Opal?” Korra asked.  
“Opal said they could come over this evening. Jinora was with her, and I think she’s coming, too.”  
“Okay,” Korra said.  
Throughout the day, friends and family came to visit, just as Korra had wanted. Kiran was talking about this new “disco” music that was popular, and Bolin, Opal, and Jinora came in and talked like they always did. As each of them left, Korra made sure they all gave her a hug, and she told them she loved them. Bolin was the last to leave, and she knew he had caught on to what was happening, because as she told him she loved him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, she saw his eyes begin to water. Then he followed Opal out the door.  
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Asami said, sitting on the bed and taking Korra’s hand. Korra nodded. She had felt herself growing weaker throughout the day, but she hadn’t said anything.  
“I’m sorry,” she told her wife.  
“This is it, isn’t it?” Asami asked, her voice breaking. Korra knew she didn’t want to believe it.  
“It is,” Korra said, and she watched tears stream down Asami’s face. “You can come visit me in the spirit world.”  
“Okay,” Asami agreed, unable to keep herself composed.  
“It’ll be just like our first vacation together,” Korra told her, managing a smile.  
“I love you, Korra,” Asami said.  
“I love you, too, Asami,” Korra replied. With that, the Avatar’s eyes fluttered shut, and she was gone. Asami looked over to the cup of now-cold jasmine tea that lay untouched on Korra’s nightstand. She lay down on the bed, Korra’s hand still grasped in her own, and she sobbed.


End file.
